(1) Field of the Invention
This invention relates to makeup compositions which consist essentially of homogeneous mixtures of a fibroin-coated pigment comprising a carrier pigment substantially coated with a film of regenerated fibroin formed by coagulating a solution of silk fibroin (hereinafter referred to simply as fibroin) and an oily material-coated pigment comprising a carrier pigment substantially coated with an oily material, which are in the form of powder (i.e., loose powder) or cakes (i.e., pressed powder). More particularly, the invention relates to makeup compositions in powder or cake form which cause no irritation to the skin, have excellent properties such as spreadability on the skin, adhesion to the skin, feeling, moisture retention and fragrance retention, and can give a silk-like gloss and a silky feeling to the skin. Still more particularly, it relates to makeup compositions in cake form which permit the user to use a wet applicator (e.g., a wet puff) or a dry applicator (e.g., a dry puff) according to preference and can be smoothly applied to the skin during all seasons without undergoing agglomeration or caking of its particles.
(2) Description of the Prior Art
Conventional makeup compositions in powder form (e.g., face powder and the like) consist mainly of titanium dioxide, zinc white, talc, metallic soaps and precipitated calcium carbonate. However, such compositions cannot be formulated easily because slight variations in composition may cause changes in covering power, lubricity, absorbing power, water resistance and the like. It is well known that some properties (such as adhesion to the skin, spreadability on the skin, feeling, finish of the makeup, and the like) of such makeup compositions in powder form can be improved by addition of a nonionic surface-active agent having low HLB, such as polyoxyethylene glycol diesters, esters and ethers of polyhydric alcohols, and the like, to the aforesaid base materials. However, the addition of such a surface-active agent is disadvantageous in that it causes irritation to the skin. Moreover, the effect produced thereby is not always satisfactory.
In order to make a makeup composition in powder form (e.g., face powder or the like) handy to carry, the powder may be compressed into a cake and then enclosed in a case (i.e., a so-called compact). Such a makeup composition in cake form is generally known as pancake makeup or the like. In this case, however, the oily materials are applied to the skin after they have been emulsified with the aid of the water contained in the applicator (e.g., a wet puff or the like) and the surface-active agent included in the makeup composition. Thus, this makeup composition has the disadvantage that skin disorders may result from the irritant action of the surface-active agent. Moreover, when this makeup composition is handled repeatedly with a wet applicator, some components (e.g., binders and the like) may combine firmly with the pigments to result in caking of the surface layer. Then, the makeup composition fails to transfer to even a wet applicator. Furthermore, such a makeup composition in cake form must be applied to the skin exclusively by using a wet applicator (e.g., a wet puff) because it does not transfer to a dry applicator (e.g., a dry puff).
In an attempt to overcome the above-described disadvantages, U.S. Pat. No. 3,296,078 discloses a compressed face powder cake composition containing an anionic surface-active agent (e.g., sodium lauryl sulfate or the like) or a cationic surface-active agent (e.g., alkyl dimethyl benzyl ammonium chloride or the like). However, this cosmetic composition also has the disadvantage of causing irritation to the skin owing to the use of a synthetic surface-active agent. Moreover, its particles may undergo agglomeration during long-term use, so that they can hardly be handled with a dry puff.
Additional attempts to solve the problem of skin irritation by surface-active agents are found in Japanese Patent Publication No. 7066/'77 and Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 14528/'79. The makeup compositions disclosed therein have succeeded in solving the problem, but involve other difficulties. Specifically, these makeup compositions cause no irritation to the skin because surface-active agents are absent. However, the former makeup composition cannot be used in seasons other than summer. Moreover, this makeup composition is subject to caking of its surface layer owing to the water-soluble materials coexisting with the oily materials and the pigments as well as the water contained in the applicator, and it does not permit the use of a dry applicator. In the latter makeup composition, the water-repellent silicone oils and oily binders coexisting with the pigments have no affinity for water, so that these oily materials cannot be homogeneously mixed with the water contained in the wet applicator. Accordingly, this makeup composition can neither be evenly applied to the skin nor be smoothly spread on the skin. Moreover, this makeup composition is poor in durability of the makeup because the oily materials rise to the surface under the influence of sweat or water. Even if it is applied to the skin by using a dry applicator, this strongly water-repellent makeup composition gives an oily feeling. Therefore, especially in winter when the skin has a low water content, this makeup composition can hardly be used from the viewpoint of physiology of the skin.
Thus, prior art makeup compositions in cake form are substantially unusable in seasons other than summer and scarcely have the two-way function, i.e., the function of being applicable to the skin by using both a wet applicator (e.g., a wet puff) and a dry applicator (e.g., a dry puff). Accordingly, there is a continuing demand for satisfactory makeup compositions in cake form which can exhibit the two-way function during all seasons and have excellent properties such as moisture retention, fragrance retention, affinity for the skin, spreadability on the skin, feeling, silk-like gloss and the like.